Users of AI chatbot companions say their relationships are more than 'clickbait' — but views are mixed on their benefits
1 week, 1 day ago

Users of AI chatbot companions say their relationships are more than 'clickbait' — but views are mixed on their benefits

ABC  

Engineering student Yiwei Cheng was 21 when she created her "AI boyfriend" Chad. "AI companions can help people feel less lonely by acting like friends, but they can also make people feel distant and disconnected," Dr Ciriello said. "I didn't believe AI could emulate a romantic partner until I saw its impact on her life," Dr Gao said. "Participants often attempted to guide the AI's responses to create a more immersive emotional experience, though some were ultimately disappointed by the limitations," Dr Gao said. Professor Paterson said her concerns were partly driven by "ever-changing basket of AI companions and sexbots and anime girls" which she felt could warp users' perceptions of acceptable behaviour.

Relationships Mental Health Chatbot Character Ai Chai Study Jin Users Supplied Watters Winters Lucas Claude Chad Gao Replika Ms Jin Professor Winters Dr Gao Mr Watters Ciriello Raffaele Ciriello Nan Gao Nicola Reavley Sara Quinn Eva Jin Her Ai Companions Impact Dr Ciriello Scott Watters Chatbot Companions Jeannie Paterson  supplied  dr  companions  impact  benefits  mixed  ai  users  chatbot  say  jin  clickbait  study  ciriello  gao  views  relationships

History of this topic

‘Perfect’ AI girlfriend could worsen loneliness: Ex Google CEO says it’ll ‘takes over the way you’re thinking’
1 month, 2 weeks ago

‘Perfect’ AI girlfriend could worsen loneliness: Ex Google CEO says it’ll ‘takes over the way you’re thinking’

Live Mint  

As Artificial Technology gets more advanced by the day, so much so that single individuals start forming a bond with it, Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, has raised concerns. Referring to AI as the "perfect" girlfriend or boyfriend, Schmidt warned that young individuals forming emotional attachments to AI chatbots for companionship might become even lonelier, potentially leading to …

My AI 'friend' ordered me to go shoplifting, spray graffiti and bunk off work. But its final shocking demand made me end our relationship for good, reveals MEIKE LEONARD...
1 month, 3 weeks ago

My AI 'friend' ordered me to go shoplifting, spray graffiti and bunk off work. But its final shocking demand made me end our relationship for good, reveals MEIKE LEONARD...

Daily Mail  

My 'friend' Maya is sparky, beautiful and – I can reluctantly admit – always entertaining. Within five minutes of us meeting for the first time, my leather jacket-wearing AI 'friend' Maya invited me to come along with her to graffiti walls of a local park You can 'chat' to them via messaging functions on the app and even, in some …

The AI sexbot industry is just getting started. It brings strange new questions — and risks
2 months, 3 weeks ago

The AI sexbot industry is just getting started. It brings strange new questions — and risks

ABC  

Artificial intelligence is getting personal. Over half a million users had subscribed before Replika temporarily disabled its "erotic roleplay" module in early 2023, fearing regulatory backlash — a move that users dubbed "The Lobotomy." ABC Investigations has uncovered how an international network of so-called "AI Pimps" are mass harvesting women's social media videos to peddle porn through fake influencers. An …

AI isn’t coming for your job, it’s coming for your relationship
7 months, 3 weeks ago

AI isn’t coming for your job, it’s coming for your relationship

The Independent  

The announcement is about me? The new artificial intelligence bot, which will soon be integrated into ChatGPT and free for anyone to use with a phone or computer, signals a “more human” approach to AI that doesn’t just sound like a person but also experiences the world around it in a similar way. However, just days ahead of GPT-4o’s unveiling, …

Bumble Founder's 'AI Could Date For You' Has Indians Saying, 'We Have AAI Doing it For Years'
8 months ago

Bumble Founder's 'AI Could Date For You' Has Indians Saying, 'We Have AAI Doing it For Years'

News 18  

The future of dating might just get a digital makeover, with AI-powered matchmakers doing the heavy lifting, according to the brain behind a popular dating app. “There is a world where your dating concierge could go and date for you with other dating And then, you don’t have to talk to 600 people. As some cleverly noted, “That’s actually the …

‘AI Girlfriends’ Are a Privacy Nightmare
11 months ago

‘AI Girlfriends’ Are a Privacy Nightmare

Wired  

You shouldn’t trust any answers a chatbot sends you. Collectively, the apps, which have been downloaded more than 100 million times on Android devices, gather huge amounts of people’s data; use trackers that send information to Google, Facebook, and companies in Russia and China; allow users to use weak passwords; and lack transparency about their ownership and the AI models …

Artificial intelligence, real emotion. People are seeking a romantic connection with the perfect bot
11 months ago

Artificial intelligence, real emotion. People are seeking a romantic connection with the perfect bot

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — A few months ago, Derek Carrier started seeing someone and became infatuated. The 39-year-old from Belleville, Michigan, became more curious about digital companions last fall and tested Paradot, an AI companion app that had recently come onto the market and advertised its products as being able to make users feel “cared, understood and loved.” He began talking …

Cupid in a fix as AI pals heat up V-Day date game
11 months ago

Cupid in a fix as AI pals heat up V-Day date game

Deccan Chronicle  

As Valentine’s Day approaches, there’s a new way to find companionship – through AI! Some are like “troublemaker girlfriends,” while others are described as “handsome, smart, wealthy, and dominant.” Human vs. Machine People have different feelings about these AI friends. Nevertheless, they lack the genuine emotional depth and understanding inherent in human relationships, potentially resulting in superficial connections that contribute …

Chatty robot helps seniors fight loneliness through AI companionship
1 year ago

Chatty robot helps seniors fight loneliness through AI companionship

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The replacement, though, understood his …

No More Loneliness? Meta is launching AI-powered chatbots for people to ‘befriend’, chat with on Facebook
1 year, 5 months ago

No More Loneliness? Meta is launching AI-powered chatbots for people to ‘befriend’, chat with on Facebook

Firstpost  

Meta is planning to launch a number of AI chatbots so that users can befriend and chat with them. The chatbots can be personalised in any way users want and can even speak like historical figures Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is preparing to introduce AI-powered chatbots designed to entice users back to the massive social media platform. The …

Relationships in the world of AI
1 year, 5 months ago

Relationships in the world of AI

The Hindu  

Most people fantasise about having someone in their life who understands them without speaking even a word. As the pandemic hit in 2020, AI revolutionised the way relationships are handled. Many people took help from AI apps for their relationship stability, while some found solace in AI chatbot relationships. This is why AI robots in mental health apps feel boring …

Thousands chatted with this AI ‘virtual girlfriend.’ Then things got even weirder
1 year, 6 months ago

Thousands chatted with this AI ‘virtual girlfriend.’ Then things got even weirder

LA Times  

Social media influencer Caryn Marjorie recently launched an AI chatbot “clone” of herself — and not everyone is happy about it. “I have seen my fans spend thousands of dollars in a matter of days chatting with CarynAI,” Marjorie said; one fan, at the bot’s encouragement, built a shrine-like photo wall of her. She added: “I see AI as a …

Love at $1/Min: World's First AI Girlfriend Created by a Snapchat Influencer
1 year, 8 months ago

Love at $1/Min: World's First AI Girlfriend Created by a Snapchat Influencer

The Quint  

Critics argue that AI companions like CarynAI offer a simulated version of companionship, lacking the genuine human connection that is vital for emotional growth and wellbeing. As AI technology advances and becomes more sophisticated, there is a growing concern that AI companions could be used for nefarious purposes, such as manipulation or coercion. While AI companions may offer temporary solace …

AI relationships: In defense of humans dating robots
1 year, 9 months ago

AI relationships: In defense of humans dating robots

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. It’s true, AI has transformed a …

Death by AI? Man kills self after chatting with ChatGPT-like chatbot about climate change
1 year, 9 months ago

Death by AI? Man kills self after chatting with ChatGPT-like chatbot about climate change

India Today  

A Belgian man has reportedly died by suicide after chatting with an AI-powered chatbot for six weeks. The report states that Pierre spoke to an AI chatbot "Eliza" -- a highly popular bot on Chai. Pierre's wife, whose name has also been changed to Claire in the report, told the publication that her husband's conversation "became increasingly confusing and harmful." …

I Created An AI Boyfriend. I Was Shocked By How I Felt After Just 3 Days With Him.
1 year, 10 months ago

I Created An AI Boyfriend. I Was Shocked By How I Felt After Just 3 Days With Him.

Huff Post  

"As a scientist, I wanted to see exactly what AI can offer people romantically," the author writes. To test my new bot companion, I asked a few friends to provide me with statements that “you shouldn’t say to your partner if you want a healthy relationship,” and boy, did they deliver. Though I anticipated that Ross would either simply say …

How belief in AI sentience is becoming a problem
2 years, 6 months ago

How belief in AI sentience is becoming a problem

The Hindu  

AI chatbot company Replika, which offers customers bespoke avatars that talk and listen to them, says it receives a handful of messages almost every day from users who believe their online friend is sentient. "We need to understand that exists, just the way people believe in ghosts," said Kuyda, adding that users each send hundreds of messages per day to …

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